Cooking, Sewing, Working, Traveling, Gardening and Pondering

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.

~Winston Churchill~

Monday, January 31, 2011

The hubs and old trucks

My hubs is a pretty darn good photographer. Much better than those crazy snapshots I usually post. He is always taking pictures of old rusty trucks on our trips. But this one is my favorite and now it's become my next big challenge. I want to make a wall hanging quilt of it.

It is haunting me now...

Thursday, January 27, 2011

here chick chick chick

chicken scratch.

this may be part of the Hot Mama Apron Swap in some way.

then I may add in some of this chicken scratch.




look at this great example over at feeling stitchy


Check out this great Give Away over at Amanda's blog.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Blog Lurker

Warning Warning, seems I have a blog lurker out there. He apparently has been reading through all my posts looking for comments or stories about himself. He did give my little blog a good review, but did explain he doesn't want to be featured in it so often. But unfortunately, he's married to me, so I can't really avoid writing about him. Say hi to the hubs everyone.

DSC01283.jpg

Monday, January 24, 2011

Ixtapa Mexico


CIMG0022 - Copy
Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
I'll be back there shortly. I can't wait for a lot of doing nothing but relaxing. Sitting in the sun, sipping something with rum, hanging out with the family.

I've found out that I'm just not that good at making garments. I can make aprons, covers for printers or mixers, but I sure can't cover my own behind. I don't know yet what skill I'm lacking but I hope I figure it out because I wanted to make myself some swimsuit cover ups for the trip.

Meanwhile, I got my partner info for the Sewing Accessories Swap - am I ever excited!! It's sweet Nadine.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

"Chicken Lovin' Hot Mamas!"

I've gone and done it again. I've signed up for another Apron Swap as well as a Sewing Accessories Swap.

The Apron Sway is a Hot Mama Apron Swap by Valerie and the theme is "Chicken Lovin' Hot Mama's" Isn't that so much fun? You should go check it out, her swaps are always so much fun!




Then I also signed up for another one of Aunt Pitty Pats swaps - a Sewing Accessories Swap! I am pretty excited about this and can't wait to get my partner info this coming week!.

All this fun is gonna be wonderful!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Did you know Valentines day is 24 days away?

So how are you going to show the one you love just how much you love them? I signed up Women Living Well Blog "Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge". Every day I am to build-up, praise, encourage, love, praise my spouse. He's a pretty wonderful man and I am very fortunate, so I want to do this for him.


http://www.womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Who knew comic books would save me?



Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
I was slowly being buried by bits of fabric, with no where to hide. When Karen mentioned that Regena has said that she'd read on Totally Tutorials about using comic book backing boards for making mini fabric bolts. Karen posted hers after she'd gotten them all bundled and I loved how it looked. I ordered mine last week so I could have them this weekend for a major craft room overhaul. I love them!


See how tidy they look in the drawer? They are archival too so they won't harm the fabric.

I got mine on Amazon.


Thursday, January 13, 2011

Have You Ever Done a Dream Board?

Well, I haven't but this is a new year with many new beginnings so I thought I would. My life objectives focus around 5 key things, God, Family, Home, Work, Hobbies and Interests.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Spring into Sewing!

flowers

Ok so most of you are either looking at snow out your windows or your teeth are chattering from the cold. So I thought I'd blog about something warm and sunny - Spring! Now that's it's dried up here in SoCo, I need to stick some bulbs in the ground in my garden. I did get my shallots all planted and some have started to sprout! I digress - back to spring sewing.

My idea was what would you be sewing to celebrate spring? I mean it's really just around the corner so if you are going to make something, you might want to get a plan right? For me, I want to make some simple beach cover ups (holiday coming in Mexico) and maybe a new gardening apron. I made these a few years ago out of my hubs old work jeans, but I gave them all away and didn't have enough left to make myself one.
Garden Apron
I'd also like to sew a new table runner for the living room cabinet - something bright and cheerful.

Tell your ideas, maybe I can use your inspiration to actually sew in flip flops instead of woolly slippers.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Something New in 2011



Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
I have slowly been teaching myself how to knit via YouTube video tutorials. When I was in Seattle, Darling Susan (husband's cousin's wife) took me to Ana Cross Stitch in Anacortes. She planned it just right for their annual year end sale too. I got lots of great silk thread for stitching, some patterns and books. Then I strolled through their yarns...and fell in love with this 100% knobby wool yarn. I spoke with a very knowledgeable staff girl at the shop about it and how best to get started and she helped get the right size needles and gave me a great link to www.ravelry.com with tons of free patterns and help.

So far I have perled one row to give the end curl and and now knitting a basic knit stitch 18 stitches across until I make it long enough to be called a scarf.

In my efforts to try something else new, I made Braised Oxtails last night for dinner. For Christmas the hubs got me a beautiful Le Creuset Braising pan (in flame of course). I used it to make the oxtails and they came out wonderful if I do say so myself. Served them with rice and roasted beets.



What did you do new?

Friday, January 7, 2011

Christmas



Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
We had a wonderful time this year for Christmas. We spent it with my husband's extended family in Washington. They are the most fun and loving group of people. We were so blessed to be able to be a part of their celebration.

There were 13 people and 7 dogs in attendance and everyone had a festively good time.

Monday, January 3, 2011

2011 - A New Year



Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
I've never been a person for resolutions being put into place at the beginning of the year. I think resolutions are something a person does when ever they need to make them. For example, if you are low on funds in April, then you resolve to cut your spending and work on saving. If you waited until January to resolve to save, you could be so far in the hole, you'd take a year to get out of it.

So in honor of the anti-new year's resolution, I want to work on being happier, healthier, and homemade.

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